Medius sees Jacksonville office as key driver of global growth for fintech giant

Medius sees Jacksonville office as key driver of global growth for fintech giant (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Business Journal) — Swedish financial technology giant Medius had a vision when it moved its U.S. headquarters to the First Coast in 2023 — calling Jacksonville “one of the country’s hottest spots” for fintech growth.

Two years later, Medius leaders say its office on Riverside Avenue is a key factor driving growth across the company worldwide. That’s because its Business Development Representative team is based in Jacksonville, explained Mary Barton, chief revenue officer.

BDRs are the “first line” in growing the company’s business prospects, Barton said, because it’s those employees that seek out new clients.

Medius is in the spend management space, helping companies source, buy, contract, get invoices for and ultimately pay for goods and services by automating accounts payable tasks.

“We can serve any customer that has a lot of invoices is the easiest way to think of it, which is most companies,” Barton said. “Companies have suppliers that send all these invoices, and those invoices can be electronic or paper or email. Our technology uses AI to understand those invoices and then know what to do with them, so that CFOs and controllers can understand and control the money that they spend.”

The company has seen 411% growth in Florida customers across the past decade, and 283% since 2020, according to a spokesperson.

From the hiring side of things, the company’s connection to the local talent pipeline is crucial for continuing growth. Tapping into that talent was an attractive part of moving to Jacksonville in the first place.

“We made the decision when we moved to Jacksonville to put that (BDR) team here, and that’s really a great starting point for people that want to enter technology sales,” said Barton. “That was when we first put that team here, and already the first group that we brought in has started to progress into other roles.”

Now that Medius is well-established in Jacksonville, it’s looking ahead. Operating for a worldwide clientele, Medius’ innovation boils down to one thing for Barton — people.

“Part of it is hiring the right people that have those skills, so hiring the right technical talent, AI, engineers, etc. is really important, and we continue to make sure we have the right talent,” she said. “The other part of it is hiring people that align with our values to encourage that innovation.”

Employee satisfaction is an important component of a successful company, and Medius’ U.S. headquarters in Jacksonville is no different. From happy hours to ringing a gong whenever employees land a new client, Medius leaders are thinking about building a team from within.

The BDR team totals eight people now, and was recently doubled, Barton said. She was optimistic about seeing that headcount double again by the end of 2025.

Upward mobility and particularly promoting from within was one focal point identified by current team members. For instance, Romina Muhametaj, the current senior director of pay sales and operations, migrated to Medius during an acquisition. In the time since, she went from an individual contributor to managing an international team.

“I mean, the skills that I’ve learned here are invaluable, and the time that they’ve invested into my career development is a once in a lifetime chance for me,” said Paige Greenleaf, a client sales executive. Greenleaf joined Medius’ BDR team in 2023 and was promoted in 2024 to an account manager.

“Now, not only am I moving in terms of my career upwards, but I’m connecting more with the Jacksonville community.”

In a conversation with the Business Journal after the move to Jacksonville, Medius CEO Jim Lucier discussed ambitious plans to grow in the area, and have a “multi-dimensional office full of cross functional people.”

While some of those workers are remote, Medius’ policy is that everyone associated with an office needs to be in two days a week, with some tasks such as sales having more in-office days. That system has worked out well, the CEO said at the time, helping build the company’s culture as the headquarters grows.

“The growth in Jacksonville — it’s still a city that is easy to be in and work in, while still growing,” said Barton. “You really can’t be sitting in an office and looking out the window at that view we have. There’s something about that that just makes your day better. And we’re thrilled to be here.”

Photo courtesy of Medius